After the Rain
by LadyDeb1970
Summary: Next story in the Birthright series: Three souls are granted a second chance at life. Fortunately, all three have some experience with protecting others. They'll need it if they're going to assist Torchwood. Includes characters from Supernatural.
1. Prologue:The Time Weaver's Request

Author's Notes: Here begins another story in the _Birthright_ series. I anticipate it being at most four chapters, but we all know that's up for debate. There will be characters from several fandoms in this story: _Torchwood _(Ianto, Suzie and Tosh, and Jack will make a special appearance); _Stonehenge Apocalypse_ (Jacob Glasser, and believe me, his 'resemblance' to a particular angel will not be glossed over); and _Supernatural_ (John and Mary Winchester, with references to other characters therein). So. I will only say this once. If you don't like John Winchester, if you buy into the abusive John meme, hit the back button now. This is a pro-John story, and while I wouldn't say it's anti-Mary, I will be very honest and say I have more respect for John than I do for her. I won't bash her. I just won't turn her into some sort of a saint.

Disclaimer: Captain Jack Harkness, Suzie Costello, Toshiko Sato, Ianto Jones and _Torchwood_ don't belong to me … they belong to the BBC, Starz Studios, and Russell T. Davies. Which is a shame, because I think I take better care of them. John and Mary Winchester and all things _Supernatural _also don't belong to me, they are the property of Eric Kripke. Rassilon belongs to the BBC and whoever first created _Doctor Who_. Jacob Glasser belongs to Syfy and whoever wrote _Stonehenge Apocalypse_. Boromir belongs to JRR Tolkien. Everyone else is mine. Don't mind if you borrow them, just ask first and return them intact.

Prologue

The Time Weaver's Request

Former Colasanto Compound, Nevada

August 2012

"Lord President Rassilon. I wish to ask a boon!"

Well. That was interesting. It had been years since he heard a request phrased in that way, and it was even longer since he heard from a Child of Kronos. That was what they called themselves when interacting with humans, implying they were associated with the ancient Greek Titan. In truth, they were far more ancient than that … far more ancient than humanity. In truth, they were cousins of the Time Lords and in some ways, forerunners of the Time Agency. Rassilon always called them Time Weavers, for they took the threads of one timeline and wove it into another. More to the point, the Children created Champions. Decent men who often made terrible mistakes, but gave their lives to atone … and yet, still had so much to give.

The greatest success story among the Champions was the warrior born as Boromir of Gondor, who was revived and placed in a nearly-identical universe to this one, but thousands upon thousands of years in the future. Only those he loved most knew the truth about his identity (such as his wife Megan). To all others, he was Michael Rafferty, the handsome amnesiac who took his wife's name when they married because he couldn't remember his own.

And now, a Child called to him for a boon, which meant that she wanted to bring a Champion into this universe. Interesting. Very interesting. Rassilon looked around at his own Children of Time … Suzie was preparing to go to Liam's office to drop off the latest acquisition forms (and hopefully, that was _all _she was planning to do … then again, she and Liam had gotten better about keeping their trysts out of his office after the last time Lily caught them); Ianto was going over the inventory from the most recent deliveries; while Tosh was … Tosh was cackling to herself as she viewed something on her tablet. Rassilon decided he didn't want to know. She frightened him when she started cackling like that.

Koschei had been temporarily banned from tormenting Olivia Colasanto after her cousin Phil discovered her on the SHIELD helicarrier. Rassilon allowed himself a small smile as he remembered the confrontation between Liam and Koschei after the young lawyer learned that his older sister was alive. Who knew that younger siblings were just as protective as elder ones? Rassilon thought about his youngest child, who was fiercely protective of his older 'brother,' the Doctor, and conceded that it wasn't so strange. What did surprise him (and this was a legitimate surprise) was Koschei backing down. The former Master told Rassilon that it was long past time for him to go pester the Doctor.

The summons came again, and this time, Rassilon received a name. Most of the Time Weavers were women, although some of the more recent additions were men. Again, the girl called, "Lord President Rassilon, your humble petitioner Valkyrie begs your indulgence on behalf of three souls." Now things were getting _very_ interesting. He walked out of the house after checking on his children one last time and walked into the Rift. There he found a young woman, around the same age as Ianto Jones. She was a pretty little thing, with long golden hair and bright blue eyes. Valkyrie. He could see why the ancient Norse warriors named her thus. She smiled as he appeared and made a small bow, saying, "Lord Rassilon. I ask you to accept three souls. One I know to be deserving, and two who may be deserving."

"Speak, child," Rassilon told her with a small smile. He was departing from protocol here, but really, none of the pomp and circumstance was necessary here. He was not on Gallifrey, and he was no longer the Lord President in truth. Besides, when the girl relaxed ever so slightly, he knew that he had done the right thing. She was in an awkward transition period … much younger than her sisters, who remembered the old ways, but much older than the recent Weavers. The Weaver who called herself Valkyrie straightened her shoulders and took a deep breath. Rassilon braced himself for a tirade, something many of the in-between Weavers did.

Instead, the girl blurted out, "I want you to give Jacob Glasser, John Winchester and Mary Winchester a place among your Champions." Rassilon blinked, and Valkyrie turned bright red with embarrassment. She swallowed hard and started over, saying, "Jacob is the one I was telling you about, the one who is deserving. He was a scientist in his own dimension, in his own universe, who sacrificed his life to save the world. I was … I was able to take him before his body was obliterated, so he's presumed dead in his home dimension. They found no body."

That being said, Valkyrie lifted her head up and Rassilon smiled to himself, placing his palm against the girl's forehead, in a manner similar to a benediction. However, the resemblance ended there, as he leaned his forehead against his hand … and her memories flowed into him. He Saw this young man Jacob through the years, and his decision was made long before the boy sacrificed himself. Jacob Glasser had a home in this dimension. Not with Rassilon himself, but Alicia Yates' Bulwark was growing by leaps and bounds, and before too much longer, she would need people to go out into the world. Not field agents, no … just people who could travel to Torchwood and UNIT's equivalents in other countries. Jacob Glasser would be excellent for such a venture. He was tempted to have Jacob assigned to the dimension where humans co-existed with Cybertronians, but the boy was needed here … not there.

He felt the girl's relief, and the second set of memories flowed into him … this time, the memories of Mary Campbell Winchester. He wasn't immediately impressed with her. Oh, he could easily forgive her making a deal with a demon after the murder of her mother and fiancé, all the while knowing that her father was as good as dead. But what he found much harder to forgive was her negligence toward her husband and two sons. Her death launched the three of them into a world they didn't understand and never knew existed. He accepted her on probation. She would have to prove herself to him. Hunting was a life that was never truly left, and Samuel Campbell should have made his daughter aware of that.

And finally, he received the memories of John Winchester, Mary's husband, who went from being a Marine, a husband and a father, to a Hunter. In some ways, John Winchester reminded Rassilon of himself … many of his decisions were questionable, but one thing Rassilon couldn't question, didn't dare question, was his love for his sons and his desire to keep them both safe from the thing that murdered his wife. He, too, would be accepted by Rassilon on probation, but his would be a limited probation, having more to do with how he picked up what Alicia was trying to do. John Winchester did what was necessary … he stepped up to the plate, and did what was necessary, despite the cost. Alicia would have need of men such as him.

Both Weaver and Lord opened their eyes at the same time, and Rassilon said simply, "I accept these souls. In fact, I have a place for all three of them. And, I have conditions." Valkyrie nodded so hard, he thought her head would come off her shoulders, and Rassilon outlined what those conditions were. He would need assistance from both Ianto and Jack, but he didn't think that would be an issue. Ianto could create documents for the three of them, but Rassilon would need Jack's contacts in the UK to make this work. He resolved to call his son as soon as he returned to Nevada.

"Your conditions are accepted with gratitude, my Lord. Their bodies … what will you do about the bodies of the Winchesters?" Valkyrie asked hesitantly. Hmm. That was a very good question. Rassilon searched through the world he now inhabited, trying to ascertain the fates of the counterparts of John and Mary Winchester. What he discovered made his eyes widen with surprise. Well. He wasn't one to believe in fate, but this was certainly a happy accident. For John and Mary, that is. Not so much for their counterparts. Both suffered traumatic brain injury during the Miracle … their bodies were simply empty shells. Their families no longer came to visit, but they couldn't bring themselves to turn off the machines, either. Well, well, well. The damnable Miracle would actually prove to be useful.

He smiled at Valkyrie benignly and said, "I have suitable replacements." He really didn't want to have to go into the future and get more lifelike mannequins, like the one used to replace Ianto Jones for his funeral. Attempts to place a human soul into said mannequins was iffy at best. Valkyrie offered him a relieved smile. He noticed that she didn't ask how they would place the souls into the new bodies. Good. He absolutely hated those explanations. Instead, he went on, "Bring Jacob to me first, and then while he is recuperating among my children, I will bring the new bodies to you." He wished he said that differently … it didn't sound nearly as ghoulish in his head. However, Valkyrie merely inclined her head.

"It shall be done, my lord. And my lord? Thank you," she replied, before disappearing. Rassilon slowly exhaled and returned to Nevada, passing the Rift Guardians as he did. Back at the house, Suzie was still gone … Tosh was working in the garden … while Ianto was reading. Rassilon cleared his throat and the boy looked up, putting the book to one side. As yet, Jack still didn't know that his former was alive once more, and for now, it had to stay that way. Thus, he rearranged his tasks in his mind quickly.

He told his Child, "I have tasks for you, youngling. First, I need you to call Alicia Yates. Tell her that I'll be bringing three new people for Bulwark, and that details will follow. After that's done, I need you to create documents for three people: Jacob Glasser … that's J-a-c-o-b G-l-a-s-s-e-r. Yes. Exactly. The other two are John and Mary Winchester. When Suzie gets back, I'll need her help. The last thing any of us need is for Liam Grady to have a nervous breakdown when he sees John's new body. They say everyone has a double in the world … Liam doesn't need to see that first hand."

The boy was nodding and pulling up the software he would need to get that started before the Time Lord even finished speaking. Rassilon looked out the windows, thinking of everything the three new Bulwark operatives would need in their new world. He could have Tosh do that later … no sense in Ianto being distracted while he was putting their documents together. For now, however, he needed to call his son. It had been six weeks since he and Captain Rogers took down Theodore Paige and his pathetic little ring, and Rassilon wanted to make sure that his son was all right. Jack always came back from his deaths, but that wasn't what Rassilon needed to know. He needed to know that his son was _all right_.

TBC


	2. Chapter 1: Crossing the Threshold

Author's Notes: First, because I'm just as backward as ever, a happy belated Fourth of July to my fellow Americans, and happy belated Canada Day to our northern neighbors. So, in this chapter, we have our three new Champions starting their new lives. The first section is Jacob reacting to being alive; second section will be Mary; third section is John. And I'll admit now, the relationship that develops between Ianto and John kinda took me by surprise … but at the same time, I kinda like it, too. The next chapter will have them choosing their new paths. Oh, and because despite my attempts to pretend otherwise, I _am_ a fangirl, and John Barrowman's new album is fantastic! Still working out which is my favorite song (although, I play _Loch Lomond _over and over again), but wow. Absolutely love it.

Chapter One

Crossing the Threshold

Former Colasanto Compound, Nevada

August 2012

Two Earth Weeks Later

This really wasn't what he expected of his afterlife. Admittedly, he didn't ever really think about an afterlife, much less what one would entail, but lying on a cloud-soft bed as a gentle hand stroked his hair didn't come immediately to mind. He also didn't think it likely that the hand belonged to Kaycee. It didn't quite seem to be her style. He was proven right when a nearby female voice said rather tartly, "I didn't realize we were in the business of taking in strays all of a sudden, Rassilon." That startled Jacob enough to force his eyes open. A beautiful Japanese girl sat at his side, smiling self-consciously as her hand stopped in mid-stroke.

"Ah, Suzie, didn't you get the memo? We're _all _strays. I'm half-tempted to bark sometimes, just to see how Rassilon would react. I know how Koschei would react … he'd pat me on the head or scratch me behind my ears. Dr. Glaser's just another addition," a young man observed from a nearby table. The young man offered him a shy smile, observing, "Welcome to our odd little family, Doctor. My name is Ianto Jones … you have Toshiko Sato at your side … and the snark queen is Suzie Costello." Jacob's attention moved from the beauty at his side to Ianto (Welsh? He thought so) to a beautiful woman standing just beyond Ianto. She flapped her hand at him as greeting, and Jacob returned his attention to Ianto, who added with a small smile, "And in case you're wondering, you're not dead. Just in an alternate dimension."

"Quite right, my boy. I'm glad to see you're awake, Jacob. And I'm sure that you have many questions that need answering. First, and most importantly, as Ianto said … you're not dead. You're very much alive, and you are in … well, I'm not sure if I'd said an alternate dimension. Think of this more of a parallel universe," another man said, entering Jacob's line of sight. Parallel universe? Was it possible that he was transported here when … when he thought he died? That didn't make any sense, but right now, not many things did make sense. Including how he died. Even though he didn't die. And as for the Rassilon that 'Suzie' had been speaking to when he first started regaining consciousness, he could have anywhere from his mid-fifties upward. Jacob reflected a bit ruefully that Rassilon looked like he could have been Jacob's own father … he was dark-haired and blue-eyed, with a cleft in his chin (well, not that part so much). He spoke with an upper-class British accent that wasn't so different from the one Jacob heard from Kaycee Leeds. Jacob swallowed hard as he thought about Kaycee.

Thus, his first question wasn't about his new surroundings. It wasn't even about how he got here, or any normal thing like that. He'd never been normal a day in his life, why would he start now? Instead, he asked, "Did it work?" Ianto, Suzie, and Tosh all looked at each other, as if asking each other if they knew what he was talking about. Not that it mattered … Jacob wasn't talking to them. He didn't know how he knew it, but his instincts told him that Rassilon (what kind of name was that, anyhow?) was the man who knew the most about what happened to him, including how and why he was brought here. There was a small smile on the other man's face and Jacob repeated, "Did it work?" It was a fair question, really.

"Your world is safe, Jacob, including your Dr. Leeds. Everything is fine," Rassilon promised and Jacob sighed, relaxing back against the pillows. Rassilon went on, "I apologize, that should have been my first priority … telling you that your world is safe. Now, as to everything else … as I said, you're in a parallel universe. Your sacrifice was noted and rewarded with a second chance in another universe." Oh. That was … good. He thought. Rassilon went on, "I brought you here five days ago … my Children of Time took care of your leg, while I kept you unconscious. It … was better for everyone."

That, Jacob didn't doubt. Being shot hurt like hell, and while his leg throbbed, it was a manageable level of pain, especially now that he didn't have the bonus of adrenaline and fear to push him forward. He asked finally, "You … you said that my sacrifice was noted and rewarded with a second chance, in this universe. A second chance to do what?" Not that he was really complaining, mind. Really, he wasn't. He didn't mind the possibility of a second chance at all. It was just … what would be asked of him, in return for his second chance? What price would he pay for this? Nothing in life came free, and anyone who said otherwise was just selling something. Jacob asked, "What do you want from me, to earn this second chance?"

"Oh, child," Rassilon sighed, "you've _already _earned that second chance. There is nothing you have to do to earn it. Is there a particular reason you were brought to me? Yes. But that can wait. You need to rest and recover. And while I have specific ideas for you, the choice is ultimately yours. However … I have a feeling you'll find my ideas interesting. That can wait, young man." Jacob was on the point of protesting, but a jaw-cracking yawn prevented him from speaking. Rassilon chuckled and lay the back of his hand against Jacob's forehead, murmuring, "Sleep, child. There will be time to talk. There will be more than enough time to …" Jacob never heard the rest of the sentence. He was already asleep.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

The last thing she really remembered with any clarity was finding Azrael in her baby boy's nursery … burning on the ceiling as John tried to save her, not that he could. There were other, less distinct memories … seeing her boys as adults, now Hunters themselves. She never wanted that, not for her babies. Not for her Dean and Sam, not even for John. But when she burned on the ceiling … and Mary Campbell Winchester stopped. She was dead … and now she was alive. She wasn't in Heaven, she wasn't in Hell, she was alive. Mary wrapped her arms around herself, glancing around the room. Was she a prisoner or a guest? Staying here, she wouldn't find out, but there were dangers to leaving as well. Such as, she didn't know where exactly she was. Even so, she was Mary Campbell Winchester, and she lost too much already by being afraid. At the very least, she could do a sweep of the room

The door opened and Mary whirled to face whoever was entering, reaching for a weapon that wasn't there. The newcomer raised her hands, saying softly, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you … the last time I checked on you, you were still asleep. My name is Suzie Costello, and you're in Nevada. The year is 2012." Mary numbly noted that the woman spoke with a British accent, and that … wait. 2012. She said that it was 2012. Mary sat down on the bed … there was a bed? Oh. Yeah. She remembered waking up as sun streamed through a window, and her nightgown had been replaced with pajamas. And the year was 2012, which meant that … which meant that her baby boy was twenty-nine. Mary could have wept.

The woman … Suzie … continued, "I'm sure you have a lot of questions. The first thing you need to know is, you're no longer in your home dimension." Mary looked up at the woman, startled, and Suzie continued, "You were brought here, because your life was cut short in your own dimension, and it was judged that you still had more to give. You were raised as a Hunter, which will give you a somewhat more open mind about what I do … what we do." Mary cringed, but couldn't help looking at the woman curiously. Suzie added, "I … we … protect the Earth from aliens who would do us harm. By the same token, we also protect benign aliens from humans who are either misguided or evil. Usually evil, but not exclusively."

Well, that made … aliens? Suzie confirmed with a small smile, "Aliens. You spent the early part of your life, watching your father and mother go up against demons and other supernatural entities, is it really so hard to believe that aliens exist as well?" Well, put like that … The newcomer's smile brightened, ever so slightly, and she continued, "I have your clothes here … at least, I'm guessing that you'd rather meet Lord Rassilon in regular clothes, as opposed to pyjamas." Mary looked down at herself … while the pajamas were definitely preferable to the white nightgown she died in, street clothes were even better. And Lord Rassilon? Was she in the home of some eccentric English lord? If so, what sort of name was Rassilon? Suzie observed, "Whatever questions you have, and I'm sure you have many, he can answer."

With that said, she extended her arms with the clothes in them. Mary asked slowly, "I'm guessing that you know my sizes … do I want to know how you know my size?" The corners of Suzie's mouth quirked, and Mary glared at her balefully, before snatching the clothes out of the Englishwoman's arms. Suzie merely laughed, before sauntering out of the room. Of course she left the final question unanswered, along with the question of just who dressed her in the pajamas. That could wait. All of it could wait. Right now, Mary needed to get dressed … and then she needed some answers.

Within five minutes, she was dressed and opening the door … only to find Suzie in front of the door once more, smirking. Mary once more glowered at Suzie, who only looked more amused, and said, "If you'll follow me? I'll take you to Lord Rassilon. In case you're wondering, that's not his real title … well, it is, but at the same time, it isn't." Well, that was just as clear as mud! Suzie observed, "You'll understand when you meet him. Rassilon isn't human." Mary stopped dead in the middle of the hallway. Rassilon … wasn't human. Mary shook herself, told herself to get a grip, and began following Suzie once more.

As they walked, Suzie explained, "The actual owner of the property lives in Oklahoma. Her name is Natalie Tregarth. She inherited the property from Angelo Colasanto, the original owner. This is the cottage where he and his wife lived while the main building was being built." Cottage? If a two-story house was a cottage, she was interested in seeing what the main building looked like. That could wait, though. Suzie went on, "The main house is now a … well, a sanctuary. That was Natalie's decision. From what Angelo's grandson has told me, it sounds like she did what he hoped she would do."

"What kind of sanctuary?" Mary couldn't help but ask as she drew up beside Suzie. At the same time, she was peering over the edge of the railing. There were two people working hard at a table below her, a woman and a man. They were passing papers back and forth, and while Mary couldn't hear what they were saying, it was pretty obvious to her that they were collaborating on something. It brought back memories, memories that Mary shoved back with a ruthlessness that surprised her. But it was a distraction, and she couldn't afford distractions right now.

"That … is a long story. And it's something else Rassilon will explain to you. He may be a bit stroppy … he was supposed to call his son when you and the others were brought here, but we've had one issue after another during the last few weeks," Suzie answered. A son. Mary filed that away as useful information … and nearly walked into Suzie. The British woman said quietly, her dark eyes boring into Mary's own eyes, "And just so you know … using the knowledge that Rassilon has a son? Bad idea. The last person who tried to mess with Jack? Well, let's just say she'll be regretting it for a very, _very_ long time."

Mary's hackles rose and she snapped, "I don't use other people's children!" Suzie merely lifted an eyebrow, before turning and stalking away. Mary swallowed hard, wondering what the hell that was all about, and then followed her odd companion to a room … or maybe an office … at the end of the hall. Suzie rapped lightly on the door, and a masculine voice bid them to enter. Suzie opened the door and all but shoved Mary inside, before closing the door behind her. Mary briefly considered cussing out the high-handed woman, but her desire for answers outweighed her irritation with the other woman.

Instead, she turned her attention to the man in the room. He offered her a small smile and said with an elegant British accent, "Please, do sit down. You've adapted to your new body far better than I anticipated." Her what? Mary's legs unexpectedly gave way and she sat down hard in the nearest chairs, staring at this Rassilon all the way. He was a handsome older man … or whatever he was. She whispered '_Christo_' under her breath, and Rassilon merely looked exasperated, saying, "I'm a Time Lord, child, not a demon. Then again, that's part of what this conversation is for. I am Rassilon, first among Time Lords and former Lord President of Gallifrey. However, now the title I'm proudest of holding is father to Captain Jack Harkness."

Suzie referenced Rassilon's son, but Mary's mind was still catching up with the reset of Rassilon's introduction, and she asked, "Time Lords? Gallifrey?" Suzie said that he wasn't human. But … Time Lords? And this wasn't her original body? She thought again of her death, and realized that of course it wasn't. That begged the question … actually, it begged several questions, but chief among them was the question she asked next, "And if this isn't my body, then whose body is it?" She saw her reflection in the mirror, and it hadn't changed drastically.

"It's your body now. It originally belonged to your counterpart here in this universe. Her name wasn't Mary Campbell Winchester, if you're interested," Rassilon offered. Mary barely heard him through the roaring of blood in her ears. Her counterpart. She was using someone else's body. She was using someone else's body, she'd been turned into a body snatcher. Mary was in danger of hyper-ventilating, because _oh God_, she was no better than the demon who took her father and murdered her mother and John!

A pair of hands gripped her shoulders and Rassilon said through the roaring, "Breathe, Mary!" There was a muffled curse, and then a stinging pain in her cheek. The shock of being slapped broke through her panic, and she found Rassilon peering at her anxiously. She blinked her eyes a few times, and the man/Time Lord/whatever he was smiled with obvious relief. He said softly, "I do apologize, child. This is the first time I've had such a conversation with a human, and forgot the connotations. Now, if you would stay calm for just a few minutes, I'll explain. Several months ago, there was a situation on this planet where no one on Earth died."

What? At first blush, it sounded wonderful. No one died, no one ever lost someone they loved. She had only to think about the loss of her parents and temporary loss of John. But the more Mary thought about it, the more it sounded like the stuff of nightmares. Rassilon went on, "The woman … your counterpart in this universe … she was involved in a horrific accident early in what was wrongly called the Miracle. Her body survived, but her brain … she was brain-dead, an empty shell that even after the Miracle ended, her family couldn't bear to let go. By the same token, they couldn't bring themselves to visit her any longer."

Mary finally asked hoarsely, "There was no hope for her?" Rassilon shook his head sadly, and the formerly-dead Huntress asked, "How can you be so sure? Doctors don't know everything, after all." For some reason, that struck Rassilon funny, because he rocked back on his heels and laughed … literally shook with laughter. Mary just stared at him in shock, growing more and more confused by this very strange individual. At last, however, Rassilon stopped laughing and patted her hand in a fatherly manner that should have irritated her but didn't. She didn't know if it was the instincts she developed while growing up in a Hunting family, but those instincts were screaming at her that Rassilon was far older than she realized.

"I apologize, dear child. I will explain the reason for my mirth at a later date. For now, you wanted answers … and it's long past time I provided those answers to you. In truth, you were resurrected and brought to this universe as a second chance. You will listen to what I have to say, and then when you're ready, you'll decide what you want to do with that second chance. I'm afraid I cannot return you to your sons. But … you've not lost your entire family. Shall I tell you more?" Rassilon asked. Mary needed no time to think about it. She wasn't sure what she would do with this 'second chance,' but she couldn't make that decision without more information. With that quick nod, Rassilon smiled at her approvingly and she had the oddest sense that she just passed a test.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

In the years since his wife was murdered and demon blood was dripped into his baby's mouth, John Winchester experienced some truly strange things. So strange, in fact, that waking up in a comfortable bed should have been the least strange that ever happened. _Should have_ _been_ was the key phrase. But considering his last clear memory was of being in Hell … he thought he could be forgiven for being suspicious. And a lack of resources never stopped John in the past. Thus, when a young man entered the room with an armful of clothes, John flung a glass of water into his face, growling, "Christo!"

The young man merely placed the clothes on the dresser, removed a handkerchief from inside his vest and answered in a rather droll tone, "Gesundheit." John blinked in shock, and the young man continued in the exact same tone, "Are you satisfied now that I'm not a demon, Mr. Winchester?" John could only nod in astonishment, and from that less than auspicious start, a tentative and rather unexpected friendship grew. At least, the seeds of a friendship. John had no illusions about himself, knew he could be an ornery, suspicious bastard at the best of times, but the young man, whose name was 'Ianto,' didn't seem to mind.

That was nearly a week earlier. He learned from his new friend that he was in a parallel world, and the year was 2012. The year wasn't so hard to believe … being in a parallel world? That took some getting used to. The air smelled the same … everything seemed the same, but countless searches on the laptop Ianto so kindly provided him regarding the burning of their house in Lawrence resulted in zero results. It was at that point that John began to actually take this parallel world concept seriously.

And once he started taking it seriously, he began to ask Ianto (the person he saw most often) questions, and the boy shared what he knew. Ianto claimed to know everything, and while John was automatically suspicious of people who claimed to know everything or nothing, the kid was terrifyingly knowledgeable. In some ways, he reminded John of Sam … and in other ways, he reminded him of Dean. But if he was in a parallel world, the chances were good that he'd never see his sons again, and so he tried not to dwell on whatever similarities existed between Ianto and either of his boys.

According to his new friend, John, along with two others, were brought into this parallel world to be given second chances as Champions. Ianto either didn't know or wouldn't tell John who the other two were, and for now, John would let it go. Besides, the explanation of what a Champion was what really interested him at this point. He learned that Champions were flawed but decent human beings who often made horrific errors in judgment, and then died to atone for them. Their lives were cut short in what was often what Ianto phrased a '_fixed point in time and space_' (and John would get further explanation on that later) … but some greater power deemed that they still had more to give.

In John's case, as well as the other two, Ianto explained, their task involved assisting a woman in the UK named Alicia Yates, who was creating a network to assist the alien defense organizations of the world. Aliens. He had wanted to tell the young man that there was no such thing as aliens. However, after spending the last two decades of his life going up against demons and worse, John wisely kept his mouth shut. He knew he could be an abrasive son of a bitch, but there was abrasive, and then there was just plain stupid.

Instead, he listened as Ianto told him about Alicia and her Bulwark, about UNIT and about Torchwood. It took him very little time to realize that Ianto was Torchwood. For one thing, he was entirely too knowledgeable about the way the organization worked. For another, there was an undercurrent of disdain when he spoke of UNIT. He was curious about why that disdain existed, but for now, it wasn't his business. Understanding why Ianto had little use for UNIT was a curiosity, not something he needed to know and not something that might place his life in danger, at least not at this point. Now, if that situation changed or someone else was endangered … but they would cross that bridge when they came to it.

In truth, he really liked the idea of this Bulwark. While Hunters tended to be lone wolves, he could see where something like Bulwark would be necessary. And given Ianto's stories about the last few years (including this so-called Miracle), he really liked the idea of average people not just being aware of the threat, but actively helping to neutralize it. Not by fighting, but in other ways. And speaking of the poorly-named Miracle … holy crap, that sounded like something a demon would dream up … oh, he knew that it was conceived entirely by human beings. John also knew from painful experience that sometimes, the absolutely worst monsters were human beings.

He made this observation to Ianto, and was surprised to see a flash of pain in the boy's eyes. Ianto merely answered that the line between monster and human was surprisingly hard to see at times. John was sure that there was a story there, but again, as long as it didn't put his life, or the lives of those whom he would be protecting, at risk … he really didn't see it as any of his business. After a moment, Ianto admitted that he once lobbed that particular accusation at someone who eventually became very dear to him. True, he was extremely upset (read: heartbroken), but that didn't make the accusation any more true. Suffice it to say, Ianto added, that it was one of those rare times when he was wrong. This man was no monster and didn't deserve to be called one. Not really knowing what to say, John said nothing … choosing instead to squeeze the young man's shoulder. It was evidently the right thing to not say, because Ianto flashed him a grateful smile, before going over John's new documents.

Another day, Ianto gave him the rundown on the property where they were staying. They were in Nevada, John learned, although Ianto was a little vague on where exactly in Nevada they were. John thought about pointing out that Nevada was a rather large state, but decided it fell into the same category … not something he really needed to know. Although, he was getting a bit curious as to why he was only allowed to go the bathroom and nowhere else in the house. His meals were brought to his room, and in truth, he was starting to climb the walls just a bit. Ianto told him that he wasn't permitted to leave his room until Rassilon called for him … and since the door locked from the outside (convenient), the only alternative was to rush Ianto.

John supposed he could have, but it was unnecessary. And really, after all the years he and the boys spent on the road, after the hell all three of them experienced, was it really so bad to just rest a while? He wasn't a young man any more, and given the way he'd lived for the last few years before the deal to save Dean, he felt older than his fifty-three years. Besides, even if he got past Ianto (an iffy proposition), where would he go? Sure, he could steal a car, but who was to say that this Nevada was the same as his? No, he needed more information, and the best source of that information was Ianto, and his conversation with this Rassilon would provide more.

And he didn't know much about Rassilon, whoever he was. He wasn't the owner of the house. Ianto told him that. The owner was a young woman in Oklahoma, but Rassilon had permission to live here. Or something like that. Ianto was deliberately vague about that. The one piece of information which Ianto could and did provide him about their mysterious host was that he was a father … he was the father of Ianto's special person. John smiled to himself, remembering the look of shock on Ianto's face when the Marine worked out that Ianto's special someone was a man. His name was Jack, John knew, and he was the most extraordinary, exasperating individual Ianto ever met (hmm, that sounded familiar. Who did John know who met that description?). He was also the first and only man Ianto ever had feelings for.

The boy was more than a little shocked, not only that John figured it out, but by his lack of reaction. John opted to keep him guessing, at least for now. Ianto had his secrets … John had his own. On the sixth day after his awakening, Ianto came to his room, his bright eyes sparkling with mischief. Oh, this looked to get interesting. The young man said quietly, "It's time for you to meet with Rassilon. Just … be ready to have all of your preconceptions blown to hell, all right?" John just responded with a sidelong glance which made Ianto laugh. John grinned and followed the Welshman from the room.

They were, as John noted in the past, on the second floor … but now he could see that the hallway around the second floor was in fact a balcony. He watched a young man sitting beside a lovely Japanese girl, paying close attention to whatever she was showing him … across the table from them sat another dark-haired woman. Something drew her attention to John and Ianto, and he could actually see her jolt back in her seat, as if she was surprised by something. Ianto actually snickered, and the woman responded with the European equivalent of the finger. That only made Ianto laugh. John just shook his head, smiling a little. In a way, he wished he would be spending more time here. He thought he would enjoy being around this odd little family. And they _were_ a family, even if they didn't know it. What was it that Bobby always used to say? Right … family didn't end with blood.

But his attention was drawn back to Ianto as the younger man stopped in front of a door, and through that door laid the key to the rest of John's life, however long that might be. Ianto raised his eyebrows, inquiring without words if John was ready. The former Hunter took a deep breath and nodded. Ianto pushed open the door and John crossed the threshold. Inside the room, a tall, dark-haired man rose to his feet and said, 'Welcome, John Winchester. I have a proposition for you." John merely smiled. He would listen, would let the man make his sales pitch. And then he had questions.

TBC


	3. Chapter 2: Worth Saving

Author's Notes: I really hate it when I stare at a nearly blank document, and … nothing's there. Of course, that's when it's time to step back, look at what I've written … and start over. (Or, if I've written it by hand, start marking things out or rip it out of my notebook and throw it away). I originally planned to have the group on their way to England, if not there already, but John threw me a curve ball. (And yes, he's smirking at me triumphantly) So, I decided to listen to the Marine, which was one of my wiser ideas lately. I've actually had the conversation about Castiel in mind ever since I first got the idea … I just had an opportunity to use it before I anticipated. In this chapter, Rassilon and John discuss their children; Jacob continues to try to fit in; while Mary and Suzie continue to battle.

Chapter Three

Worth Saving

Colasanto Compound, Nevada

A few weeks later

Rassilon steepled his fingers in front of him as he re-read the most recent email from Alicia, humming a little under his breath. She didn't quite have things ready for Jacob, Mary and John yet … she needed a little more time. That was fine. Much to Rassilon's surprise (and secret delight), John formed an interesting bond with Ianto, while Jacob and Tosh spent a great deal of time. Mary was the only one who seemed to keep herself apart … in fact, she and Suzie actively disliked each other. Early in the week, the tag team of Tosh and Koschei had to pull the two apart. Rassilon was sure that it was as much for Suzie's sake as Mary's … Suzie had a habit of pushing the American woman's buttons, while forgetting that she was raised by a Hunter.

In some ways, Rassilon thought he understood. John Winchester looked as if he could have been Liam's older brother, and while Suzie didn't love the youngest Colasanto grandson, she cared for him deeply. At least, she admitted rather bluntly, as much as she was capable of caring for anyone. So, it really wasn't a surprise that she became rather protective of John … something that was met with bemusement from the man in question, but he also didn't reject it. However, Suzie needed to stop pushing Mary Campbell Winchester's buttons … and the other woman had to stop letting her. John, to his credit, was staying out of it.

Instead, the man who was a Hunter in another life focused his second chance on living, on just being alive. He playfully bickered with Ianto, teased Tosh, and kept a wary, respectful distance from Koschei (aside from one rather amusing incident where John splashed Koschei with holy water. Koschei later returned the favor with an old Super Soaker that belonged to Lily … and the two quickly went to war with Super Soakers. Rassilon didn't laugh. Not at all). In short, he did everything he might have wanted to do in his original life, and he did it as if he was a child.

Mary, though … Mary hadn't forgiven John for turning their two sons into Hunters, nor had she forgiven him for his son Adam, the product of a brief affair some ten years after Mary's death. That, Rassilon sensed, was the prime issue Suzie had with the blonde woman. In Suzie's eyes, John's actions ultimately kept Dean and Samuel safe. He protected them, and taught them how to protect themselves. Given Chandra Costello's crimes against his daughter, it was unlikely that Suzie had a great deal of sympathy for Mary. But that was only part of it.

The real issue was that Mary Campbell Winchester did not inhabit the body she was born into originally. That couldn't be helped, as her original body was destroyed. It seemed that she understood that, at least intellectually. However, the American was still coming to terms with the fate of the woman whose body she now inhabited. More to the point, she was still becoming comfortable in her (borrowed) skin. To her, it was too much like demonic possession, and Rassilon acknowledged that he should have thought of that himself. Would have, could have, should have. He was still adjusting to humans and their issues.

Regardless, Rassilon had no issue with complying with Alicia's request. He quickly typed a response and then hit 'send,' even as a light knock at the door announced that he had a visitor. Rassilon smiled to himself, even as he bade said visitor to enter. It surprised him not at all to find John Winchester entering his office and Rassilon sat back in his chair, observing, "I would say that I'm surprised, but I'm really not. What's troubling you, John?" The Hunter sat in the chair Rassilon indicated. He looked better, really. The circles under his eyes were gone, and it was rare that he touched alcohol in this body.

Rassilon pondered what he would have done … if he'd watched Jack's mother die on the ceiling when Jack himself was a baby. It would have been physically impossible, mind … but for the sake of looking at the world through John's eyes, he tried to do just that. John said hesitantly, "I was hoping you could tell me more about my boys. It's not that I don't believe you when you say that they're all right. It's just …" His voice trailed off, and Rassilon mentally filled in the rest of John's sentence. It was just that he wanted to know more. The Time Lord thought for several moments. In John's position, what would he want to know? That Jack was happy and healthy? That wasn't possible. That he had powerful friends and allies? That was a good start.

With that in mind, he looked back at John and asked with a gentle smile, "Would it make you feel better to know that your older son's best friend is an angel?" John's brown eyes widened and his mouth fell open, just a touch. Rassilon's smile brightened as he continued, "I speak the truth. Dean's most beloved boon companion, aside from your younger son, is an angel of the Lord, Castiel. In Castiel's own words, he gripped Dean tight and raised him from perdition. Their relationship has often been tested, but in the end … well. They have both made horrific mistakes … sometimes bordering on world-ending … but they've forgiven each other and moved forward. Castiel can be what you humans call 'bad-ass,' but he's also an angel … and tends to be quite socially awkward." John's own smile brightened.

"My Dean has an angel for a best friend," he murmured. Rassilon regarded the young mortal for a moment before he began telling John about some of their adventures together. He made sure to include the bad as well as the good, explaining that Castiel wasn't perfect … not even close, but made sure that he provided context for the angel's mistakes. John winced at some stories, laughed at others, and nodded in sympathy at still others. As Rassilon's final story concluded, John murmured, "I wish I could thank him."

Rassilon thought about Jacob sitting down below, his head bent toward Tosh's as they worked out a problem she'd been having, and then said slowly, "Actually, there _is_ a way." John shifted in his chair, and Rassilon explained, "Not directly. However, Jacob could be a twin to Castiel's vessel, Jimmy Novak, just as you could be an older twin to Liam Grady. If you wish to thank Castiel … look after Jacob once you all arrive in England. Some things will be similar, but far more will be strange to him." Not unexpectedly, John's shoulders straightened and Rassilon hid a smile. That was what the young man was truly seeking … a purpose before they left for England. While he no doubt enjoyed his vacation, John Winchester needed a purpose. And now? Now, he had one. There was no doubt in his mind that Jacob would be in very good hands.

But John wasn't done. He asked slowly, "You've mentioned your son Jack in the past. Would you … would you mind telling me about him? I know that he means a lot to Ianto and Tosh, a lot to Suzie. But … I'm not getting a clear picture of him." Rassilon swallowed hard. John was the first of the newcomers to ask about Jack, and he wasn't asking about him as a strategic asset, but as a person … a human being (well. Somewhat human, at least). And, like most parents, Rassilon loved talking about his son. It was just a matter of finding the right stories to tell. He would start, though, at the beginning.

"He was the most beautiful child I'd ever seen. Mind, when he was born, I was already ancient. I'd already seen the rise and fall of empires, the births and deaths of civilizations. But that child was the most wondrous thing I'd ever seen," Rassilon began and John smiled, nodding as the Time Lord spoke. That ancient being told about his child's embryonic (literally) empathy, reaching out to him with love and reassurance in the wake of the assassination attempt that nearly took the life of his biological mother … and that little one's terror when he was transferred into the body of his surrogate/foster mother. Nothing in Jack's life was ordinary, and that was as true of the beginning of his life as the rest of it.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Jacob Glaser wanted to go home.

He really wanted to go home … he wanted the familiar and the beloved. The only trouble was, he wasn't entirely sure where that was any more. He was fairly certain that his home dimension was closed to him, and even if it wasn't, he wasn't so sure that Rassilon would let him go home. There was also the matter of showing up unexpectedly after being declared dead. So going back to his home dimension wasn't even remotely possible, which made returning to his apartment and his life impossible. And really, Jacob had to admit, it wasn't even home that he wanted at the moment … it was to be as far away from two feuding women as possible.

Honestly, he did like Suzie. She reminded him of some of his favorite girlfriends in college: sharp-witted, a bit snarky, full of hard-edges to protect the frightened little girl on the inside. Jacob was one of the youngest students in his courses, if not the youngest, and didn't really fit in. Neither did the aforementioned girlfriends, all of whom were significantly older than he was. He wasn't entirely sure how old Suzie was, but it didn't matter … in all the ways that were important, she reminded him of those wonderful ladies.

He did like Suzie. But when she and Mary Campbell Winchester got into it (which was at least once a day … on a good day), Jacob immediately started looking for sanctuary. Their spats had a tendency to turn nasty, and no one wanted to get caught in the crossfire. The first time it happened, the Welsh guy … Ianto … literally grabbed the back of Jacob's collar and dragged him out of the room and into the safety of the library, where the beautiful Toshiko was working on a computer program of some kind. She refused to tell him what she was doing, because she was still working out the kinks. Jacob interpreted that as, 'I'm not ready to share, but when I am …' type of thing.

And Tosh … Tosh was his favorite here. Rassilon scared the crap out of him. He really wasn't sure what to make of Ianto. That was okay, though, because he was used to people not knowing what to make of him. Then there was the whole aliens thing. He was now working for an alien. He was going to be stopping aliens who wanted to hurt/destroy humanity, and he would be helping to protect aliens from monsters disguised as humans. And yes, at this point, he had genuine examples of that.

Tosh and Ianto told him the story earlier in the week about a space whale that came through what they called the Rift in Cardiff. Jacob listened in helpless, impotent fury as first Tosh, and then Ianto, explained what became of that poor whale. And then, Ianto told them both why saving the poor thing was so very important to their captain. It hit Owen hard enough, because he was a doctor (and evidently, Owen was with Jack, who was also Rassilon's son, and trying to keep the familial relationships straight was starting to give Jacob a headache), but it seemed that Jack (their captain) was in a situation similar to the space whale. Tosh actually went white, before she started swearing in Japanese. Jacob couldn't speak, because this … this was beyond him.

Secrets, that was one thing. Robot heads, that was another thing. But wrapping his mind around Time Lords? Space whales? Immortal captains who died and came back to life and who were tortured by Time Lords? He needed time to process that. Maybe even a lot of time. And when Rassilon came out of his office with John Winchester, explaining that Alicia Yates needed more time to get things organized, which meant that their departure to England would be further delayed, which meant that Jacob would have time to process everything he learned in the last few weeks. Unfortunately, that also meant that he would have to put up with more arguments between Suzie and Mary.

And, as if by thought alone, Rassilon's announcement triggered yet another argument between the two females. Mary kicked it off this time, and Suzie was more than happy to get in her face. John rolled his eyes and glanced at Ianto. The young Welshman nodded with a tiny smile, and then he took one side, John took the other, and together, they steered Jacob right out of the room and into the quiet serenity that was Koschei's study. And he was someone else who scared the ever living hell out of Jacob, but right now, he was preferably to the harpy smack-down going on out in the main part of the house.

The younger Time Lord looked up from the bodice ripper he was currently reading, asking, "Let me guess … the Frau Winchester and my dear Suzie are arguing again." John Winchester nodded, looking exasperated and exhausted, and Koschei continued, "Well, please, make yourselves at home, my study is your study, but I do expect to be repaid eventually." Ianto merely glared at him … Jacob was curious about that story, but he wasn't that curious … and Koschei added, "Oh, not you, dear boy."

"Later in the week, we'll have another SuperSoaker battle," John promised as he released Jacob and collapsed into a chair. He rubbed his hand over his eyes, and offered Ianto a weary smile as the Welshman pressed a bottle of water into his hand. Koschei tetched at him (that was the closest approximation Jacob could reach, a tetch), and Ianto just smirked at him. Yeah. Definitely a story there. John added, "Don't start, you two. You're worse than my two boys all the time they were growing up. Act just like brothers, you do."

Jacob outright laughed at the twin indignant expressions that decorated both Ianto and Koschei's faces. Ianto was sputtering and Koschei was staring at John in betrayed shock. Tosh, however, was giggling, and John winked at her. Koschei finally growled, "I _will _make you pay for that, ape! There will be nowhere that you can hide from me!" John laughed as he relaxed into his chair, leaning his head back. He closed his eyes, sighing quietly, and Koschei asked quietly, his own features showing what Jacob recognized as his attempt at concern, "What's wrong with your frau this time, Winchester?"

He asked the question of John, but it was Jacob who replied, "Our departure to England has been delayed, since Mrs. Yates isn't ready yet." That was set her off, at least, and Koschei's eyes swung back to him. Jacob froze because, why yes, as a matter of fact, the junior Time Lord did scare the ever-living hell out of him! But Koschei only studied him intently, before smiling faintly and bobbing his head. His expression almost seemed to say, '_all right then, lad … I suppose you'll do_.' What that meant, Jacob wasn't entirely sure. Nor was he sure if he wanted to know. Had he mentioned that Koschei absolutely terrified him?

"It would seem Frau Winchester is still uncomfortable in her new skin. Understandable … well, not so much to me, I have new skin quite regularly, but I know you apes live your entire lives in one body. And young Doctor Glaser is in the same body he's always been, largely because the Time Weavers were able to rescue him at the exact moment of the explosion. However, I am curious, Mr. Winchester, about why you aren't uncomfortable in the body provided for you by Lord Rassilon?" Koschei asked, steepling his fingers together.

And John Winchester, who was his own brand of scary, answered quietly, "Who says I'm not?" Koschei raised his brows at that. The dark-haired Hunter sat forward in his chair, continuing, "Since I found my wife burning on the ceiling of our home, in our baby boy's nursery, I've found myself in a lot of uncomfortable situations. Am I comfortable in my new skin? No. I don't just have my memories, but the memories of the man who used to inhabit this body, and I have no idea how that's possible. But here's the problem: if I were to somehow find a way to leave this body, then what happens? The man who was born into this body? His soul isn't here, not anymore. He _can't_ come back, and that was true long before Lord Rassilon commandeered this body for my use. It was really true only days into the Miracle. So, I work with what I've got, and pray that he will be okay with the way I use this body … to protect people."

Jacob blinked, because really, what could he say to that? Mr. Winchester was right in every aspect of what he just said. Well, he was assuming that he was right about the previous owner being unable to return. And it was unnecessary, for Lord Rassilon said from the door way, "Beautifully put, John Winchester. Very well, then, since you passed my first test with flying colors, I'll start putting you on jobs around the compound until Alicia Yates is ready for you." Jobs? But Jacob didn't ask, because Rassilon wasn't speaking to him, and John's face lit up like a kid at Christmas. Rassilon continued, "You can start this afternoon … you'll accompany Artie Pagonis on his patrol around the compound, just to get you familiar with the area. Jacob … I have another job for you … one that will take you away from the lovely Toshiko's side." Jacob blushed and Tosh looked down … and Rassilon? Rassilon simply smiled.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Contrary to popular belief, Suzie didn't actually _enjoy_ pushing Mary Winchester's buttons. On the other hand, she also didn't hate it. If she were to try to explain the source of her friction with the blonde woman … well, she couldn't explain it. Was she annoying? Without question, but Suzie encountered annoying people in the past, and she never got a charge out of getting a rise out of her Levi's, as Liam liked to say (she was glad Jack couldn't hear that … she was afraid of the innuendos he would have come up with).

Did she think Mary had a stick up her arse? Without question. Again, that didn't necessarily set Suzie off. Much as Suzie loved Tosh, the same could be said of her, and she didn't find Tosh even remotely as annoying as she found Mary. So that wasn't it, either. Suzie was tempted to say that it was a combination of several things, and it probably was. But when she had a splitting headache, she wasn't in the mood to pull punches. And said splitting headache was partially Natalie's fault … well, not really, but Suzie had to blame someone and Natalie's migraine was as good of a scapegoat as anything, especially if she ignored the fact that Natalie never had migraines before Suzie invaded her dreams. Just thinking that made Suzie's head hurt worse. What was she thinking when she pulled that stunt? Oh. Right. She was saving Jack. Lord Rassilon said everything had consequences, even her attempts at doing good.

So, no … she really didn't know why she disliked Mary. And, she supposed, it really didn't matter. At the moment, she wasn't interested in the why … just in making sure that the blonde stayed away from her. Unfortunately, she wasn't that lucky today. And if she was of a mind to be fair, Suzie would acknowledge that she sometimes instigated arguments when Mary Winchester wasn't at her best. However, her growing headache (and her worry for Natalie) pushed away any desire to be fair.

Which was why, when Mary started bitching about Alicia's changing the plans, Suzie wasn't especially interested in even attempting to see things from her perspective. Nor was she willing to cut the other woman slack. Not even Tosh's gentle reminder of her own … misjudgments … could prod Suzie into letting the other woman's attitude slide. And she _did_ have an attitude. She was furious with her (ex?)-husband for turning their two sons into Hunters (with a capital H, apparently) … she was furious with Rassilon for accepting the Time Weavers' request and putting her in a body that wasn't her own (okay, she had Suzie there).

But even if she was justified in her anger toward Li … toward John and toward Rassilon, there was also the matter of how she behaved toward Tosh, Ianto, and Jacob. She was impatient with all three of them, and really, Suzie was fed up with her attitude. It didn't help that Suzie knew she was partially responsible … but really, when all was said and done, it was Mary's choice to behave as she did. Suzie was of the opinion that Li … John's raising of their sons kept them alive. Suzie knew that he regretted, in his own words, 'being a drill sergeant, rather than a father.' But they were still alive … Dean Winchester and his brother were alive, because of that.

When she said as much to Mary, the other woman scoffed and demanded to know what she knew about it, since she wasn't a mother. Only Tosh's arms around her torso kept her from slapping the blonde … however, no one bothered to cover her mouth with their hand as she icily informed the other woman that she was a daughter who was truly abused by her father, in ways no one should ever be hurt. Suzie took no pleasure in the horrified expression that crossed Mary Winchester's face … especially as she added bitterly that sometimes (more times than not), the worst monsters were the ones with human DNA.

But she _did_ take pleasure in Li … in John's big hands curling around her forearms, his dark eyes intent on her face as he told her that he might have hunted supernatural evil, but he had no use for human evil, either. Suzie let herself pretend for a moment that this really was Liam (who was busy in the main house with issues involving Lily). But she put that illusion aside and smiled sadly at John Winchester, telling him that later, he would have hunted her, for the evil she did. And oh, there was so much evil … so many people she hurt!

John's answering smile was equally sad as he leaned forward to kiss her forehead (as Liam would never do, and that understanding made her heart ache). He whispered that they all did evil, in one form or another. Rassilon must have seen something in her worth saving, or she would be dead. And Suzie felt her heart stop at those words, because he was right. He was right. _John was absolutely right_. Rassilon saw something in her, in Ianto, in Tosh, in Owen. He saw something in Jacob and Mary and John worth saving.

And that was at the heart of why she had issues with Mary, why she took issue with the blonde woman so much of the time (aside from the fact that yes, it was fun winding her up). Granted, Rassilon probably could have gone about it in a different or better way, but he allowed her to have a second chance at life. Given how many chances Suzie herself got, she knew she had no stones to be throwing, but she also had little regard for ingratitude. Oh. That was a frightening thought. Did she see in Mary a light-side version of herself? That notion distracted her … and damn, she _really_ needed to work on her shields! She really hoped Natalie was all right … this migraine was taking a toll on both women.

It was because of her worry for Natalie (and the pain that was bleeding through her protective shield), that she finally snarled, "Oh, get over yourself! So John turned your two boys into Hunters, and you wanted them to have nothing to do with that lifestyle? Well, guess what, princess, you pretty much took any choice out of John's hands when you made that deal with that demon!" Mary's eyes blazed, but before she could speak, Suzie blasted right past her, adding, "I may not be able to blame you for making that deal … after that thing possessed your dad and murdered both your mum and John. But I bloody well can blame you for leaving John and your sons unprotected! You castigate John for the choices he made, but your own selfishness led to those choices. And you want to know how I can tear into you for being selfish? Because my own selfishness got people killed. I got people killed, I destroyed people's lives, because of what I wanted, not what was best for the people I claimed to love!"

She all but spat the words into the blonde's face, reveling in the way Mary Winchester reeled back. Suzie nodded grimly, adding, "We're alike, you and I. Far too much alike, for all your pretensions otherwise. We both chose what we wanted, rather than what was best for our chosen families. You chose to turn your back on your heritage, for yourself and for your children. Maybe if you'd embraced your heritage, or simply not rejected it … maybe you and your husband would still be with your children. But you chose yourself, not just when you made that deal, but every day after. The only truly unselfish thing you did was protecting your sons, but it was too little, too late, wasn't it? And now? Now, you're just as selfish as ever, because did you even ask why your departure to England was delayed? No, of course not. So I'm going to tell you … she isn't quite ready, because there are issues with her children. And they come first."

That was actually something Alicia told Suzie in a private email, confiding that she was worried about her oldest daughter, who should have been starting uni this year, but those plans were put on hold for the moment because of the Miracle. Yes. Because of the thrice-be-damned Abomination. And it was something she would have shared with the others, if _someone_ didn't get a bee in her bonnet about the delay. Suzie decided not to share anything more with Mary (although she might tell the others), because it wasn't any of her sodding business. Truthfully, it wasn't anyone's business but Alicia's.

Taking pleasure in silencing Mary, Suzie brushed past the other woman, rubbing her forehead again. She was stunned when the other woman said, her voice neutral for once (almost concerned), "You keep rubbing your forehead … are you all right?" Suzie swung back to face the woman, only to discover that Mary looked genuinely concerned. Mary added, "Do you have something to take for it?" Suzie was wrong-footed … not because she had a sudden epiphany regarding Mary's nature. She knew that Mary cared about others, but because it was totally out of the blue. And that was probably why she answered the way she did.

"Nothing I _can_ take for it. I just have to rebuild my shields. My … due to my actions before Lord Rassilon reunited my body and spirit, I have a connection to the owner of the property. I forged a connection in order to save Lord Rassilon's son Jack, and the connection runs both ways. If my shields aren't up, I feel everything that Natalie feels … and she feels everything I feel. And it's my responsibility to maintain those shields, because I created the connection. That's something I have to live with … knowing that if I'm not careful, my dark side could influence someone who doesn't deserve it, someone who didn't ask for it. I just need some quiet time, while I rebuild the shields and talk to Liam, see if he can contact Jack to make sure my soul-sister is all right," Suzie answered. It was the first time she'd used the term for Natalie Tregarth, but it was the one that seemed to fit best. She doubted that Natalie particularly wanted another sister, much less one who was as damaged as Suzie herself was … and especially with the recent revelations regarding her birth family (really? Her oldest niece was only nine years younger than she was? They might as well be sisters). But Suzie would do her best to do right by Natalie. It was the least she could do. John was right. Lord Rassilon saved her because he saw in her something worth saving. It was time, and long past time, for her to start living up to whatever potential he saw in her. She would start with those she considered her family … Tosh, Ianto, Rassilon, Jack, Natalie, Lily, and Liam.

TBC

Additional Notes: So, what exactly did Mary say to set Suzie off? I have no idea. She (or rather, both women) won't tell me, just says that when the time is right, I'll know. I know, it's aggravating, but I've learned the hard way not to argue with the characters, not if I want the story to continue. Which I do. And while we're talking about Suzie, how many people knew that the incredible Indira Varma was on _Game of Thrones_? I found out last night, and asked a close friend what she thought of her character, since I don't get HBO and was bored with what I saw of _Game of Thrones_. I figured, since it was Indira Varma, she would either be a character you loved or a character you loved to hate.


End file.
